‘A bit of a pipe dream’ realised as Knocknagree rise to Cork football's top tier
Knocknagree defeated Cill na Martra to complete an eight-year rise from junior to the top tier of Cork football. Pic: Dan Linehan
Third time’s the charm for Knocknagree.
After unsuccessful finals in 2022 and 2024, John Fintan Daly’s charges triumphed in style in the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Senior A Football Championship showdown in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday (2-17 to 0-17).
From junior to Premier senior in eight short years.
“It’s been a dream of ours since we were junior, something we would have mentioned, a bit of a pipe dream at that stage,” Knocknagree goalkeeper and county senior Patrick Doyle said.
“We’ve had hard times up here over the past couple of years but we knew we were never far away. Maybe the St Michael’s one, we felt we were lucky to get out of the group that year. St Michael’s were that bit ahead of us.
“Carrigaline last year, very close, very disappointing. We felt we were ready to win it. We had a tough winter. But you only have to go back at it again. A new league comes around. A new championship comes around.
“This year we just stuck at it. It is hard to fathom at the moment, seeing the likes of the Barrs, Nemo and Castlehaven. We’ve been getting very close to this for a long time.
“We just love playing football. As simple as that. It’s only football in Knocknagree and that is an advantage. We love talking about football. We’ll be down the pub tonight and we will be talking about next year. That’s the way the lads are. Lads just love training together and playing together. We do realise we have a team that is capable of winning. We’ll be going again next year and we’ll see how that goes.”
Knocknagree played out a high-quality drawn group game with Cill na Martra in July. Back then, they were considered the two favourites for the title. Knocknagree have been building steadily.
“Cill na Martra shell-shocked us in the group. We learned from that. I do want to pay credit to Cill na Martra. They are like us, a small parish, some brilliant players and Noel O’Leary on the line. It's not easy to get over the line in these championships but all you can do is keep coming back and trying to do it.
“We played the league without (Cork players) Daniel O’Mahony and Eoghan McSweeney and sometimes myself. That brings on the squad. I look at David Twomey (0-2) and the respect I have for that man, playing wing-forward. He’s been getting close to the team and he just stuck at it and what a performance.
“Michael McSweeney (man of the match), he is only 21 years old and he lorded it at midfield. He was the main man to get us over the line today.”
Knocknagree led 2-9 to 0-6 after a wind-assisted opening half.
“The first half went off a treat,” he said. “With the new rules, the game is never over. You’d want to be up 20 points to feel safe now. The Mayo senior final last night, Johnny (John Fintan Daly) referenced that at half time (Ballina Stephenites came from 10 down to win by one). Thank God we finished the job today.”
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